Seoul: A majority of South Korean exporters recognize the need to employ artificial intelligence (AI) in their businesses to boost efficiency, but only a small fraction are actively utilizing the technology, a survey showed Monday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the survey conducted from February 17-19 by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) revealed that 78 percent of 396 respondents from the export industry acknowledged the necessity of AI adoption. However, only 16.9 percent reported actively using AI to enhance productivity or manage tasks.
Furthermore, 68.7 percent of respondents indicated that they are either using AI on a limited basis or are still reviewing its potential applications. The survey highlighted that 21.9 percent of the companies employing AI leverage it for marketing and branding purposes, while 19.7 percent use it in planning and product development.
Cost concerns and a shortage of skilled personnel were identified as the primary challenges to AI adoption, with 26.1 percent and 25.4 percent of respondents citing these issues, respectively. KITA emphasized the lack of refined data and infrastructure necessary for industrial AI applications, advocating for a phased approach to encourage AI use among exporters.
An official from KITA remarked, "Public-private collaboration is essential for AI adoption among exporters, particularly to help small and medium-sized enterprises adopt AI effectively based on manufacturing data."